("Value-Creation Society") is a
new religious movementA new religious movement is a faith-based community, or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of recent origin. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, in which case they will be distinct from pre-existing denominations...
, more precisely a modern
Japanese “new religion”' is a term used in Japan to describe new religious movements. They are also known as ' in Japanese, and are most often called simply Japanese new religions in English. Japanese theologians classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as Shinshūkyō. Thus, the...
derived from
Nichiren BuddhismNichiren Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japan's new religions...
. It was formed in 1930 and is closely associated with the
New KomeitoThe , New Komeito Party, or NKP is a centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai. . The , New Komeito Party, or NKP is a centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai. . The , New Komeito...
, an influential Japanese political party.
Sōka Gakkai International (SGI), the umbrella organization, was founded in 1975 and characterizes its organization as both a support network for practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism and as a global movement for peace education and cultural exchange.
Sōka Gakkai and SGI are both frequently criticized and praised. Its president is
Daisaku Ikedais president of Soka Gakkai International , a Buddhist association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and research institutions. He is also an honorary member of the Club of Rome....
, who the organization says has received honorary doctorates from over 250 academic institutions.
History
Sōka Gakkai was founded as the
Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai (創価教育学会, lit. "Value-Creation Education Society") on November 18, 1930 by Japanese educator
Tsunesaburo MakiguchiTsunesaburō Makiguchi was Sōka Gakkai's first president. He was born in Kashiwazaki, a small village in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, on June 6, 1871. Adopted by the Makiguchi family, he moved to Hokkaidō, Japan's northernmost island, at the age of 14...
and his colleague
Josei TodaJōsei Toda was second president of Sōka Gakkai. He was an educator, peace activist and President of Soka Gakkai from 1951 to 1958...
. Makiguchi sought to reform Japan's militaristic education system into a more humanistic one that would support the full development and potential of Japan's youth. His ideas on education, and his theory of value-creation (創価,
sōka), are explored in his 1930 work
Sōka Kyōikugaku Taikei (創価教育学体系, The Theory of Value-Creating Pedagogy). In
Nichiren Shoshu BuddhismNichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...
, he found a religious philosophy that reflected his educational theories, which led to the establishment of the Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai. Eventually, the focus of the organization began to shift, as Makiguchi came to the conclusion that the practice of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism itself could allow each individual to develop their potential within and attain Buddhahood. However, Makiguchi and Toda's thinking was in direct conflict with the goals of the state. When the Japanese government more rigorously enforced
Shintoor kami-no-michi is the natural spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. The word Shinto was adopted from the written Chinese , combining two kanji: , meaning gods or spirits ; and , or "do" meaning a philosophical path or study...
's position as the
state religionA state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. Practically, a state without a state religion is called a secular state. The term state church is associated with Christianity, and is sometimes used to denote a specific national branch of Christianity...
(State Shinto) with the enactment of the Religious Organizations Law of 1939, a move designed to impose stricter governmental controls over religions, and began to demand that all citizens enshrine Shinto talismans in their homes Makiguchi, Toda, and 18 other Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai members resisted, refusing the talismans. For refusing to cooperate with the government by compromising their religious beliefs, the two educators were sent to prison. Makiguchi died there at age 73; Toda was later released and, after
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, rebuilt the organization, renaming it Sōka Gakkai to reflect the extension of its membership beyond educators only. Over the years, the Sōka Gakkai experienced a period of rapid growth in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. An organization, Nichiren Shoshu of America (NSA, later also called Nichiren Shoshu Academy, Nichirenshoshu Sōkagakkai of America, and finally Sōka Gakkai International – USA), was formally organized in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 13, 1960. Today, Sōka Gakkai International and Nichiren Shoshu have parted ways. SGI now has a membership of somewhere between 100,000 to 300,000 practitioners in the United States. Sōka Gakkai International (SGI) was founded in 1975 as the International Buddhist League to act as the international leadership of national Sōka Gakkai organizations.
From the 13th century until the 20th century, Nichiren Shoshu was practiced almost exclusively in Japan. Sōka Gakkai emerged as the largest lay organization of Nichiren Buddhist practitioners and today, Sōka Gakkai membership accounts for nearly 10 percent of Japan's population.
When religious freedom took hold in Japan following
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Sōka Gakkai began to spread Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, initially across the country, then eventually across the globe, as practitioners relocated from Japan and as non-Japanese practitioners returned to their home countries, taking the practice with them. In response, Sōka Gakkai began to develop a program of international outreach. In 1960,
Ikedais president of Soka Gakkai International , a Buddhist association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and research institutions. He is also an honorary member of the Club of Rome....
, then third president of Sōka Gakkai, made a journey that took him from Japan to the United States, Brazil and Canada. During this trip he met practitioners in each of these countries and began laying the foundation for what would later become Sōka Gakkai International. In 1975, SGI was formally founded, with Daisaku Ikeda as its president.
Even though SGI was initially affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu, the two groups are becoming more and more distinct. SGI's primary purpose is to provide a supporting organization for its practitioners. On its website, SGI defines its purpose as follows.
For SGI members, Buddhism is a practical philosophy of individual empowerment and inner transformation that enables people to develop themselves and take responsibility for their lives. As lay believers and engaged Buddhists, SGI members strive in their everyday lives to develop the ability to live with confidence, to create value in any circumstances and to contribute to the well-being of friends, family and community. The promotion of peace, culture and education is central to SGI's activities.
Daisaku Ikeda has led SGI since the death of Second President Josei Toda in 1958. A disciple of Toda, Ikeda succeeded him in 1960 as Sōka Gakkai president and became president of the larger Sōka Gakkai International upon its creation in 1975.
Ikeda is, however, a controversial figure. For example, prior to 1979, many SGI leaders implied that Ikeda was equal to or superseded Nichiren as the True Buddha and suggested that a novel ostensibly authored by Ikeda, the
Human Revolution, was the
gosho (holy scripture) of the present age, the
gosho being Nichiren's writings. When he challenged the
Nichiren ShoshuNichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...
clergy on doctrinal grounds, his challenge was considered an act of
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
, particularly by a priesthood that viewed and asserted itself as the ultimate
authorityIn government, authority is often used interchangeably with the term "power". However, their meanings differ: while "power" is defined as "the ability to influence somebody to do something that he could not have done", "authority" refers to a claim of legitimacy, the justification and right to...
in Nichiren Shoshu
doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings" or "instructions", taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
. In April 1979 Ikeda resigned his positions as Sōka Gakkai president as well as head of all Nichiren Shoshu lay organizations (
Hokkekō SōkōtōHokkeko is a lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shoshu school of Japanese Buddhism and the name most Nichiren Shoshu temple congregations are known by...
) to apologize for his organization's deviations from Nichiren Shoshu doctrine (which Sōka Gakkai was bound to observe by its contemporary rules of incorporation) and the ensuing turmoil.
Sōka Gakkai members suggest that Ikeda's resignation was the action of a man who did not want to be responsible for creating a rift among the practitioners. Regardless of the rationale, however, a division between the followers of Nichiren Shoshu, and those who aligned themselves with Ikeda's positions, did occur, and it continues to be a source of controversy and discord amongst practitioners. Shortly after giving up the organization's presidency, Ikeda became honorary chairman of Sōka Gakkai in part as a response to Sōka Gakkai members' dissatisfaction with his vacating of the presidency. As of January 2008 Ikeda remains honorary chairman of Sōka Gakkai and president of SGI.
Split with the priesthood
The
HokkekōHokkeko is a lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shoshu school of Japanese Buddhism and the name most Nichiren Shoshu temple congregations are known by...
, the traditional lay group associated with Nichiren Shoshu, experienced a spurt of fast growth in the early to mid 1990s following a split between the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and Soka Gakkai over doctrinal and practical differences. Friction between the two surfaced as 1990 drew to a close, sparking an inflow of Soka Gakkai members into Hokkekō that accelerated for a while after Nichiren Shoshu stripped Soka Gakkai of its status as a lay organization on November 28, 1991. Though Nichiren Shoshu still considered individual Soka Gakkai members as lay followers until a rule change in 1997, most mistakenly believed that they had been excommunicated along with the Soka Gakkai organization. Hokkekō growth has since slowed substantially but is now more organic. Hokkekō is not affiliated with any political organizations.
The fundamental practice of Sōka Gakkai and SGI members is derived from Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, a form of Nichiren Buddhism. However, due to a number of ongoing issues and doctrinal disputes that between the priesthood and the leadership of Sōka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu withdrew Sōka Gakkai's and SGI's statuses as lay organizations in November 1991. SGI President Daisaku Ikeda was excommunicated in 1992. Until 1991, Sōka Gakkai had been a lay organization closely affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu, and members retained their temple membership as individuals. On November 30, 1997, these Sōka Gakkai and SGI members lost their standing as temple members unless they renounced their affiliation with Sōka Gakkai and SGI, as per a change to the Nichiren Shoshu bylaws decided two months earlier.
SGI and Nichiren Shoshu are now independent of one another. For more on the background, history and views of the Sōka Gakkai International and Nichiren Shoshu split, see the external links below.
Doctrine
NichirenNichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of "Nam Myo ho Renge Kyo" as the essential practice of the teaching...
(日蓮) (1222–1282) was a Japanese Buddhist monk who, having studied the entirety of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings and the commentaries of the leading Buddhist scholars of the day, proclaimed that the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sutra or Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma is one of the most popular and influential Mahayana sutras in Asia, and the basis on which the Tien Tai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-History and background:The Lotus Sutra was probably compiled...
was the ultimate teaching of Shakyamuni and that, in Shakyamuni's own words, it was the one true teaching. Nichiren declared that the title of the Lotus Sutra,
Myoho-Renge-Kyo, crystallized the essence of the sutra and that therefore the
invocationAn invocation may take the form of:*Supplication or prayer.*A form of possession.*Command or conjuration.*Self-identification with certain spirits....
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enabled a practitioner to embrace the entirety of the teaching and to thereby manifest the life-condition of Buddhahood. A key passage in the Lotus Sutra explains that every individual possesses this life-condition, albeit as a latent Buddha nature. The essence of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Daishonin taught, was that all men and women, regardless of
social classSocial classes are the hierarchical arrangements of people in society as economic or cultural groups. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political economists and social historians...
, are inherently endowed with this Buddha nature and could therefore attain Buddhahood. "Nichiren" is a name he chose for himself when he embarked on spreading his teaching on April 28, 1253. It literally means "Sun Lotus". The word "Daishonin" is an honorific title meaning "great holy man" as practitioners believe him to be the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
Nichiren taught that by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the
GohonzonGohonzon , is the object of devotion in many forms of Japanese Buddhism. In Japanese, go is an honorific prefix indicating respect and honzon means object of fundamental respect, veneration, or devotion...
(御本尊)—a
mandalaMandala is a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism...
he inscribed with
ChineseChinese or the Sinitic language is a language family consisting of languages mutually unintelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the two branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
and
SanskritSanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
characters representing the enlightened life of the True Buddha—anyone can bring forth her or his inherent Buddha nature and become
enlightenedEnlightenment in Western secular tradition refers mainly to the European intellectual movement known as the Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason referring to philosophical developments related to scientific rationality in the 17th and 18th centuries.Enlightenment is wisdom or...
. Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism taught that Buddhahood is not a static state of being, but exists in mutual possession of other states of being (referred to as the Ten Worlds). This concept is better known as
ichinen sanzen, the Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life. Therefore, practitioners believe that Buddhism must be practiced not in a land or a
mysticMysticism is the pursuit of communion with, identity with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, instinct or insight. Mysticism usually centers on a practice or practices intended to nurture those experiences or...
state, but in each person's daily life. This is experienced as the result of continuous effort to engage one's highest life condition, or Buddha nature, to overcome the inevitable obstacles and struggles we all face. In so doing, one establishes an unshakable state of happiness characterized by
peacePeace is commonly understood as the absence of hostility, or the existence of healthy or newly-healed interpersonal or international relationships, safety in matters of social or economic welfare, the acknowledgment of equality and fairness in political relationships and, in world matters,...
,
wisdomWisdom is knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight. It is an ideal that has been celebrated since antiquity as the application of knowledge needed to live a good life...
, and
compassionCompassion is a human emotion prompted by the pain of others. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. It is often, though not inevitably, the key component in what manifests in the social context as altruism...
, and this ultimately permeates every aspect of one's
lifeLife is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have self-sustaining biological processes from those that do not—either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as "inanimate."In biology, the science of living organisms, "life"...
. In accord with the Buddhist concept of
eshō funi, the oneness of person and environment, each
individualAs commonly used, individual refers to a person or to any specific object in a collection. In the 15th century and earlier, and also today within the fields of statistics and metaphysics, individual means "indivisible", typically describing any numerically singular thing, but sometimes meaning "a...
has the power to then positively affect the environment around him or her. SGI practitioners call this process a "
humanHumans are bipedal primates belonging to the species Homo sapiens in Hominidae, the great ape family. They are the only surviving member of the genus Homo. Humans have a highly developed brain, capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection, and problem solving...
revolutionA revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
." Nichiren Daishonin argued that when and if human beings fully embraced his teachings, the peace they would develop within would eventually be reflected in the environment as peace in society at large.
Practice
The basic practice of SGI members is based on faith, practice, and study.
Faith entails chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—Nam is derived from
SanskritSanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
word
namaskar which means to salute or a formal greeting like
Hello—daily and reciting
gongyoGongyō is a Japanese word that means "assiduous practice" and refers to a formalized service performed by followers of nearly every Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhist denomination. It is often done once or more times a day and consists of the recitation of a sutra passage or passages, a...
(the Expedient Means and Life Span Chapters of the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sutra or Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma is one of the most popular and influential Mahayana sutras in Asia, and the basis on which the Tien Tai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-History and background:The Lotus Sutra was probably compiled...
). The duration of chanting tends to depend upon the individual member; typically it will start off minimal (5 to 10 minutes morning and evening), but long term practitioners frequently chant for at least half an hour or an hour morning and evening. Some members will occasionally chant
daimoku tōsō ("chanting struggle"), which is extended chanting over several hours in a single day.
Practice involves chanting as described above, plus participation in the community and sharing Buddhist practice with others.
Study is the dedication of some part of ones life to the reading of important Buddhist teachings, most important among them the study of the collected writings of Nichiren Daishonin, called
gosho. Many gosho have been compiled in a two volume edition in English,
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin I and II. These translations are based on a Japanese volume called
Nichiren Daishōnin Gosho Zenshū (The complete works of Nichiren Daishonin), which was compiled by 59th Nichiren Shoshu High Priest Nichiko Hori and published by Sōka Gakkai in 1952. Translations are available in, or are being undertaken into, other languages. Additional reading materials include the Lotus Sutra, the writings of
Daisaku Ikedais president of Soka Gakkai International , a Buddhist association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and research institutions. He is also an honorary member of the Club of Rome....
, and other writers and scholars of the Lotus Sutra and of Nichiren Buddhism. In North America, there is a weekly newspaper, the
World Tribune, and a monthly Buddhist journal,
Living Buddhism.
Followers of Sōka Gakkai and SGI believe that chanting energizes and refreshes the practitioner both spiritually and mentally, leaving him or her happier, wiser, more compassionate, more productive, and more prosperous in all areas of their lives. Chanting is also believed to have a positive impact on the world at large.
Sōka Gakkai and SGI's other constituent organizations hold regular grassroots gatherings known as discussion meetings. Available on a monthly basis, they are usually held in members' homes. Important events, monthly World Peace Prayers (Kosen Rufu Gongyo), commemorative meetings, and monthly study meetings are usually held in SGI community centers (larger centers are usually called culture centers). SGI claims 13 million members worldwide —10 million in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and 3 million elsewhere—especially in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
,
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
,
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
,
TaiwanTaiwan , also known as Formosa , is the largest island of the Republic of China in East Asia. Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the southeastern coast of mainland China...
,
Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
,
MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
and
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
.
SGI charter
Sōka Gakkai's official charter reads:
Purposes and Principles
- SGI shall contribute to peace, culture and education for the happiness and welfare of all humanity based on Buddhist respect for the sanctity of life.
- SGI, based on the ideal of world citizenship, shall safeguard fundamental human rights and not discriminate against any individual on any grounds.
- SGI shall respect and protect the freedom of religion and religious expression.
- SGI shall promote an understanding of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism through grass-roots exchange, thereby contributing to individual happiness.
- SGI shall, through its constituent organizations, encourage its members to contribute toward the prosperity of their respective societies as good citizens.
- SGI shall respect the independence and autonomy of its constituent organizations in accordance with the conditions prevailing in each country.
- SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them toward the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.
- SGI shall respect cultural diversity and promote cultural exchange, thereby creating an international society of mutual understanding and harmony.
- SGI shall promote, based on the Buddhist ideal of symbiosis, the protection of nature and the environment.
- SGI shall contribute to the promotion of education, in pursuit of truth as well as the development of scholarship, to enable all people to cultivate their individual character and enjoy fulfilling and happy lives.
Reception
Sōka Gakkai, the
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese organization, has a reputation for involvement in Japan's political arena. Though officially the two are separate, it is closely affiliated with the New Komeito, a major political party in Japan. Though SGI and New Komeito both publicly deny any relationship, and declare that they are separate organizations, it is still widely reported and believed that Sōka Gakkai in effect controls New Komeito.
Another point of contention concerns SGI's application of the principle of oneness of
mentorIn Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcumus and, in his old age, a friend of Odysseus. When Odysseus left for the Trojan War he placed Mentor in charge of his son, Telemachus, and of his palace. When Athena visited Telemachus she took the disguise of Mentor to hide herself from the suitors...
and
discipleŚrāvaka or Shravaka or Sāvaka means "a hearer" or, more generally, "disciple."This term is used by both Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism, a shravaka is any lay Jain...
. In the Lotus Sutra, the principle teaching for Nichiren Buddhists and SGI members, the oneness of mentor and disciple
relationshipAn interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love and liking, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment...
is a very important aspect for practicing and spreading Buddhism. Detractors see SGI’s version of the oneness of mentor and disciple relationship as a
cult of personalityA cult of personality arises when a country's leader uses mass media to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are often found in dictatorships and Stalinist governments....
for its current, unconditional focus on SGI President Ikeda, as well as the two preceding presidents—and founders—Josei Toda and Tsunesaburo Makiguchi.
SGI members attribute this view to the oneness of mentor and disciple relationship of
Nichiren BuddhismNichiren Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japan's new religions...
, which they describe as the central pillar upon which the practice and the organization have developed: Shakyamuni was the mentor to
NichirenNichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of "Nam Myo ho Renge Kyo" as the essential practice of the teaching...
; Nichiren, the mentor to his disciples; and they, mentors to future practitioners.
MakiguchiTsunesaburō Makiguchi was Sōka Gakkai's first president. He was born in Kashiwazaki, a small village in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, on June 6, 1871. Adopted by the Makiguchi family, he moved to Hokkaidō, Japan's northernmost island, at the age of 14...
took Nichiren as a mentor in his life, while
TodaJōsei Toda was second president of Sōka Gakkai. He was an educator, peace activist and President of Soka Gakkai from 1951 to 1958...
took Makiguchi as his. Ikeda continued the tradition with Toda as his mentor, and now members throughout the world have chosen Ikeda, whom along with Toda, Makiguchi, Nichiren, and Shakyamuni, can all be considered mentors in life, as they exemplify this compassionate spirit of supporting others to excel in their own individual missions, all the while sharing the same "vow" of the
BodhisattvaIn Buddhism, a bodhisattva means either "enlightened existence " or "enlightenment-being" or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." Another translation is...
, exemplified by a stanza of the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra that states: "This is my constant thought; at all times I think, how can I cause all living beings, to achieve the body of a buddha, without distinction".
To critics of Ikeda and SGI, this relationship is viewed as symptomatic of a
cult of personalityA cult of personality arises when a country's leader uses mass media to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are often found in dictatorships and Stalinist governments....
. Critics also question the authority and authenticity of Ikeda's writings. The use of the familial term
sensei' is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authorityThe word is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill:...
(“teacher,” “master”) to refer to Ikeda is looked upon with suspicion and considered to be symbolic and further evidence of a cult of personality. Many SGI members view Ikeda and his life as a great example of how to use the practice in their own lives. He is viewed as an inspiration and an example of the power of one person to have a substantial positive effect on our world. For many members, Ikeda, as well as Shakyamuni, Nichiren, Makiguchi, Toda, and a host of other like-minded philosophers, and thinkers around the world, are taken as models for how one may build their own lives around ideas of
peacePeace is commonly understood as the absence of hostility, or the existence of healthy or newly-healed interpersonal or international relationships, safety in matters of social or economic welfare, the acknowledgment of equality and fairness in political relationships and, in world matters,...
,
cultureCulture is a term that has different meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, and
educationEducation in its broadest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual...
, and within all levels of their lives—family, work, friends, and society at large.
Critics of SGI and Ikeda are suspicious of the way he is considered by members to be a living embodiment of the power of the practice of SGI Buddhism. They assert that members are pressured to view Ikeda as their mentor in life. They are also suspicious and distrustful of the idea of mentor-disciple relationships, and question the motivation behind SGI’s application of the concept, as unfortunately this misunderstanding of the concept of 'oneness' may be have been misread not only by those who have found something to oppose in the organization's history—which after all, has been written by human beings in a perpetual process of self-improvement often referred to as "Human Revolution" (jap:
Ningen Kakumei)—but amongst members themselves, who have had to struggle with its interpretation through close to five decades of rapid growth and development, which has not only spanned the globe geographically, but also across cultures, ethnical and societal backgrounds and circumstances, as the organization prides itself in being as inclusive as it can be, in its compassionate search for these so-called "Boddhisattvas of the Earth".
There is controversy about the degree of religious tolerance practiced by Sōka Gakkai members. Official materials state all other
religionA religion is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth...
s, including other Buddhist
denominationA religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
s, are viewed as valuable inasmuch as they are able to support the happiness, empowerment, and development of all people. SGI claims that religious tolerance and a deep respect for culture are strongly emphasized in the organization. For example, in the SGI-USA newspaper publication "World Tribune," training materials for leaders in the SGI-USA, and essays on a wide range of topics including cultural diversity, are commonly printed. However, in some cases, individuals claim that they have been pressured to dismiss their past religions and cultures by fellow members.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the
Simon Wiesenthal CenterThe Simon Wiesenthal Center , with headquarters in Los Angeles, California, was established in 1977, named for Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi hunter. According to its mission statement, it is "an international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time...
says, "I am upbeat about Japan... we found good people there... like Daisaku Ikeda and the Sōka Gakkai, that support what we're doing."
Mikhail GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was the second-to-last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until 1991, and the last head of state of the USSR, serving from 1988 until its collapse in 1991...
, former President of the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
, is quoted as saying, "President Ikeda is a philosopher, a thinker, and a poet with a grand vision and a big heart. He is working not only for Japan but for the sake of the entire world."
Prominent SGI members include journalist
Mariane PearlMariane van Neyenhoff Pearl is a French freelance journalist and a reporter and columnist for Glamour magazine. She is the widow of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in early 2002.Pearl was born in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine,...
, Grammy Award winners
Herbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American jazz pianist and composer. He is regarded as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century. His music embraces elements of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz...
and
Tina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have earned her the title "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
; model
Miranda KerrMiranda May Kerr is an Australian model best known as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels since mid-2007 and for dating British actor Orlando Bloom. She was the first Australian addition to the Victoria's Secret campaign and was the face of Australian fashion chain Portmans and David Jones Limited...
; and actors
Orlando BloomOrlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom is an English actor. Classically trained, he had his break-through roles in 2001 as the elf-prince Legolas in The Lord of the Rings and starting in 2003 as blacksmith Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy of films, and subsequently established himself...
,
Patrick DuffyPatrick Duffy is an American television actor. He is best known for his roles as Bobby Ewing on the CBS drama Dallas , and as Frank Lambert on the ABC television sitcom Step By Step .-Career:In 1976, Duffy landed the role of Mark Harris in the short-lived television series Man from Atlantis...
,
John AstinJohn Allen Astin is an American actor who has appeared in numerous films and television shows, and is best known for the role of Gomez Addams on The Addams Family, and other similarly eccentric comedic characters.-Early years:...
,
Vinessa ShawVinessa Elizabeth Shaw is an American actress and model. Shaw has starred in numerous motion pictures since the early 1990s, and is probably most well-known for her performances in Disney's 1993 Halloween film Hocus Pocus, the 2006 remake of Wes Craven's horror picture The Hills Have Eyes, as well...
and italian soccer player
Roberto BaggioRoberto Baggio is a retired Italian footballer, among the most technically gifted and popular players in the world throughout the 1990s and early 2000s....
.
Sources
- Buddhism in America. Richard Hughes Seager. Columbia University Press, 2000
- Buddhism in the Modern World: Adaptations of an Ancient Tradition Steven Heine, Charles S Prebish. Oxford University Press, 2003.
- Encountering the Dharma. Daisaku Ikeda, Sōka Gakkai, and the Globalization of Buddhist Humanism. By Richard Hugh Seager. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press, 2006, ISBN 0-520-24577-6
- Sōka Gakkai in America: Accommodation and Conversion By Phillip E. Hammond and David W. Machacek. London: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-829389-5
- "The Sōka Gakkai: Buddhism and the Creation of a Harmonious and Peaceful Society” by Daniel A. Metraux in Engaged Buddhism: Buddhist Liberation Movements in Asia. Christopher S. Queen and Sallie B. King, eds. SUNY Press, 1996.
- The Faces of Buddhism in America. Charles S Prebish, Kenneth K Tanaka, eds. University of California Press, 1998.
- The New Believers: A survey of sects, cults and alternative religions. David V Barrett. Octopus Publishing Group, 2003
- The Sōka Gakkai Revolution by Daniel A. Metraux (University Press of America, 1994)
- The Lotus and the Maple Leaf: The Sōka Gakkai in Canada by Daniel A. Metraux (University Press of America, 1996)
- Fundamentals of Buddhism (second edition) by Yasuji Kirimura (Nichiren Shoshu International Center [now SGI], 1984). ISBN 4-88872-016-9
- Sōka Gakkai kaibō ("Dissecting Sōka Gakkai") by the editors of Aera
Aera is a Japanese weekly magazine, printed in gravure, published by the Asahi Shimbun. The magazine combines photographs and news stories. In May 1988, Aera replaced Asahi Journal, a more substantial weekly....
(Asahi ShimbunThe is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 8.27 million for its morning edition and 3.85 million for its evening edition as of April 2004, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun....
, 2000). ISBN4-02-261286-X (Japanese)
- Sōka Gakkai by Hiromi Shimada (Shinchosha
is a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award....
, 2004). ISBN4-10-610072-X
- A Public Betrayed: An Inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities and Their Warnings to the West. Adam Gamble & Takesato Watanabe. Regnery Publishing, Inc., 2004. ISBN 0-89526-046-8
- Living Buddhism: Journal for Peace, Culture and Education, SGI-USA Publications.
- "Celebrating in Earnest: Buddhists Mark the Start of a New Year With Joy and a Strong Sense of Purpose" by Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post, January 1, 2008
Books
- Editors of AERA: Sōkagakkai kaibai (創価学会解剖: “Dissecting Sōkagakkai”). Asahi Shimbun-sha
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 8.27 million for its morning edition and 3.85 million for its evening edition as of April 2004, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun....
, October 1995. ISBN 978-4022612861. AERA is a weekly investigative news magazine published by one of Japan’s leading news organizations; this book attempts to present a dry, fair assessment of Sōkagakkai and Daisaku Ikeda and contains several interviews with Gakkai leaders.
- Fulford, Benjamin S.: Ikeda-sensei no sekai: Aoi me no kisha ga mita Sōkagakkai/The Fabulous World of Sōka Gakkai (イケダ先生の世界：青い目の記者が見た創価学会/The Fabulous World of Sōka Gakkai: “The world of Ikeda the master: the Sōkagakkai as experienced by a blue-eyed journalist/The Fabulous World of Sōka Gakkai”). Takarajimasha, October 2006. ISBN 4-7966-5490-9. Fulford is former chief correspondent, Asia-Pacific, for Forbes. Details financial condition of Sōka Gakkai, financial scandals and cover-ups, and harassment experienced by critics in the media and politics as well as ex-member private individuals.
- Furukawa, Toshiaki: Cult toshite no Sōkagakkai=Ikeda Daisaku (カルトとしての創価学会=池田大作: “Sōkagakkai, the Daisaku Ikeda cult”). Daisan Shokan, November 2000. ISBN 4-8047-0017-7
- Shimada, Hiroki: Sōkagakkai (創価学会: “The Sōka Gakkai”). Shinchosha, April 2004. ISBN 4-10-610072-X. H. Shimada is a professor who studies the relationship between religions and society; this book is generally considered a neutral description.
- Shimada, Hiroki: Sōkagakkai no jitsuryoku (創価学会の実力: “The true extent of Sōkagakkai’s power”). Shinchosha, August 2006. ISBN 5-02-330372-0. Argues that the Sōka Gakkai is not (or is no longer) as powerful as many of its opponents fear, and that it is losing ground internally as all but the most dedicated are turned off by the leadership and fewer members need the organization for social bonding. Also notes that it is becoming more like a civic rather than a religious organization, and that inactive members don’t resign because they want to avoid the ostracism
Ostracism was a procedure under the Athenian democracy in which a prominent citizen could be expelled from the city-state of Athens for ten years. While some instances clearly expressed popular anger at the victim, ostracism was often used pre-emptively...
and harassmentHarassment covers a wide range of offensive behaviour. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset. In the legal sense, it is behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
that can result.
- Shimada, Hiroki: Kōmeitō vs. Sōkagakkai (公明党vs.創価学会: “The Kōmeitō and the Sōka Gakkai”). Asahi Shinsho, June 2007. ISBN 978-4-02-273153-1. Describes the relationship between Kōmeitō and Sōka Gakkai and the development of their history. Touches on the Sōka Gakkai–Nichiren Shōshū split, describing it as the result of a power struggle and financial constraints, as well as on the organized harassment of opponents by Sōka Gakkai members, the organization’s use of its media vehicles to vilify opponents, and Ikeda’s demand for unquestioning loyalty.
- Taisekiji: Shoshū Hashaku Guide (Jp: 諸宗破折ガイド: “Guide to refuting [erroneous teachings of] other schools”). 2003 (no ISBN); pp. 160–164. Published by the Buddhist school
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...
formerly associated with Sōka Gakkai and presents details of Sōka Gakkai’s gradual distortion of the school’s teachings and reasons for its severing of ties.
- Tamano, Kazushi: Sōkagakkai no Kenkyū (創価学会の研究: “Research on the Sōkagakkai”). Kodansha Gendai Shinsho, 2008. ISBN 978-4-06-287965-1. This book is an attempt to review scholarly studies of Sōka Gakkai from the 1950s to the 1970s and shifts in perceptions of the organization as journalists took over from scholars. Tamano takes the perspective of a social scientist and describes Sōka Gakkai as a socio-political phenomenon. He is also somewhat critical of some views Shimada expressed in the latter’s recent publications.
- Yamada, Naoki: Sōkagakkai towa nanika (創価学会とは何か: “Explaining Sōkagakkai”). Shinchosha, April 2004. ISBN 4-10-467301-3
- Yano, Jun'ya: Kuroi Techō—Sōka Gakkai “Nihon Senryō Keikaku” no Zen Kiroku (黒い手帳 創価学会「日本占領計画」の全記録: “My black notebooks: a complete record of Soka Gakka’s ‘Operation Occupy Japan’”). Kodansha, February 2009. ISBN 978-4-06-215272-3. Yano is a former secretary-general of Kōmeitō.
- Yano, Jun'ya: “Kuroi Techō” Saiban Zen Kiroku (「黒い手帳」裁判全記録: “The whole record of the trials concerning ‘My black notebooks’”). Kodansha, 7/2009. ISBN 978-4-06-215637-0.
News media (websites)
- "Risky alliance for Japan's ruling party" BBC News
BBC News, formerly BBC News and Current Affairs, is the department within the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the corporation's news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online....
report, June 22, 2000
- Japan Fears Another Religious Sect San Francisco Chronicle, December 27, 1995
- "Religious Battle Taking Shape in Foothills of Mt. Fuji Japan: The Buddhist order of Nichiren Shoshu has expelled its lay organization, Sōka Gakkai. Political fallout is probable." Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California since 1881. It is distributed throughout the Western United States. It is the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States and the fourth-most widely distributed newspaper in the United States...
December 16, 1991
- "Cults in France: Report Made in the Name of the Board of Inquiry into Cults" (December 22, 1995). Translation donated by Ginny Tosken. Edited by D. A. Reed
- "The Power of Sōka Gakkai: Growing revelations about the complicated and sinister nexus of politics and religion" Time
Time is an American newsmagazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong. As of 2009, Time no longer publishes a Canadian advertiser edition...
Magazine, November 20, 1995
- http://www.rickross.com/groups/gakkai.html The Rick Ross Institute, Internet archive on Sōka Gakkai
Excommunication
- Shoshū Hashaku Guide (Jp: 諸宗破折ガイド: Guide to refuting [erroneous teachings of] other schools). Taiseki-ji, 2003 (no ISBN); pp. 160–164.
- "Religious Battle Taking Shape in Foothills of Mt. Fuji Japan: The Buddhist order of Nichiren Shoshu has expelled its lay organization, Sōka Gakkai. Political fallout is probable." Los Angeles Times, December 16, 1991
- Sōka Gakkai-in e no shakubuku kyōhon (A textbook of refutations for Soka Gakkai members), Taisekiji, 2004.
- Nichiren Shōshū nyūmon (Beginner's guide to Nichiren Shōshū), Taisekiji, 2002.
Official websites
Websites of SGI practitioners
Book reviews of scientific research on SGI
Friendship link
See also
- FWBO Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order is an international fellowship of Buddhists, and others who aspire to its path of mindfulness, under the leadership of the Western Buddhist Order. It was founded in the UK in 1967, and describes itself as "an international network dedicated to...
- Insight Meditation Society
The Insight Meditation Society is a Buddhist non-profit organization located in Barre, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1975 by Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, and Joseph Goldstein, and is rooted in the Theravada tradition...